Here We Go Again

Well, please take your Bibles and let's open them up this morning to Genesis chapter 9.

Genesis 9 · chapter mention

! Genesis chapter 9. If you're using the pew Bibles in front of you, if you didn't bring a Bible of your own,

Genesis 9 · chapter mention

you can use those pew Bibles there in front of you in the seat back in front. And you can find our passage,

Genesis chapter 9, on page 6 of that pew Bible there in front of you. But when you found it,

Genesis 9 · chapter mention

let's stand in honor of the reading of God's Word.

And God blessed Noah and his sons and said to them, Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth.

The fear of you and the dread of you shall be upon every beast of the earth and upon every bird of

the heavens, upon everything that creeps on the ground and all the fish of the sea. Into your hand

they are delivered. Every moving thing that lives shall be food for you. And as I gave you the green

plants, I give you everything. But you shall not eat flesh with its life, that is, its blood. And for

your lifeblood I will require a reckoning. From every beast I will require it and from man. From his

fellow man I will require a reckoning for the life of man. Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall

his blood be shed. For God made man in his own image. And you be fruitful and multiply and increase

greatly on the earth and multiply in it. Then God said to Noah and to his sons with him, Behold,

I establish my covenant with you and your offspring after you. And with every living creature that is

with you, the birds, the livestock, and every beast of the earth with you. As many as came out of the

ark, it is for every beast of the earth. I establish my covenant with you that never again shall all flesh

be cut off by the waters of the flood. And never again shall there be a flood to destroy the earth.

And God said, This is the sign of the covenant that I make between me and you and every living

creature that is with you for all future generations. I have set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be a sign

of the covenant between me and all the earth. When I bring clouds over the earth and the bow is seen in

the clouds, I will remember my covenant that is between me and you and every living creature of

all flesh. And the waters shall never again become a flood to destroy all flesh. When the bow is in the

clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of

all flesh that is on the earth. God said to Noah, This is the sign of the covenant that I have established

between me and all flesh that is on the earth. The sons of Noah who went forth from the ark were Shem,

Ham, and Japheth. Ham was the father of Canaan. These three were the sons of Noah, and from these the

people of the whole earth were dispersed. Noah began to be a man of the soil, and he planted a vineyard.

He drank of the wine and became drunk and lay uncovered in his tent. And Ham, the father of Canaan,

saw the nakedness of his father, and told his two brothers outside. Then Shem and Japheth took a garment,

laid it on both of their shoulders, and walked backward, and covered the nakedness of their father.

Their faces were turned backward, and they did not see their father's nakedness. When Noah awoke from

his wine and knew what his youngest son had done to him, he said, Cursed be Canaan, a servant of servants

shall he be to his brothers. He also said, Blessed be the Lord, the God of Shem, and let Canaan be his

servant. May God enlarge Japheth, and let him dwell in the tents of Shem, and let Canaan be his servant.

After the flood, Noah lived 350 years. All the days of Noah were 950 years, and he died.

The grass withers, and the flower fades, but the word of the Lord endures forever. Father, we praise

you for this word. We believe it is God-breathed that is good for us, and so we pray now that you

would speak through it. We ask this in Jesus' name. Amen. You may be seated.

Amanda and I, since being married, have had the opportunity to live in several different places.

We met in college in Georgia, and we lived there for a time before moving up to Charlotte,

and then from Charlotte, North Carolina, it was down to North Myrtle Beach, and then from North

Myrtle Beach, now down here to Allendahl. And each move for us, it represented sort of a new start.

It was a new phase of life. And of course, every time that we moved to a new place, we had questions.

Some of the core things remained the same. We still had to go out and buy groceries, but

when we moved to Charlotte, it was no longer Kroger, now it was Harris Teeter.

We still, after moving from North Myrtle Beach, we still go to the beach, but now it's Isle of Palms

instead of Cherry Grove. And my role at the church was different in North Myrtle Beach than it is here.

In each new place, we had to kind of figure out what work would look like, what life would look like.

Each new start came with new opportunities, new challenges, and new questions.

As we come here to Genesis chapter 9 this morning, we see this is a new start for Noah.

Genesis 9 · chapter mention

But not just for Noah, this is a new start for all of humanity, isn't it?

God has moved Noah and his family now to a new place. He has wiped the slate clean on the old world,

and so now, as he finally steps foot onto dry land, I can imagine that he's asking some of those same

questions that we might ask. Questions like, well, what do we eat?

What are we supposed to do now? What do we give our time to?

What will life look like here in this renewed world?

Our passage this morning, it gives us our bearings for life in this new beginning.

What is life like after the flood?

And you know, if we felt kind of far from the world that we saw pictured for us in Genesis 1 and 2,

there in the Garden of Eden, if that felt foreign to us,

we really ought to feel a lot more at home here in our passage this morning.

Because this passage, it explains some important details for life in our world today after the flood.

So let's take a look here, and we'll see three questions this morning.

Three questions for life after the flood.

If you're taking notes, this is our outline this morning.

Three questions for life after the flood.

Question number one, what's changed?

What's changed? What's different?

And at first glance, as you look through the passage, it seems like not much, right?

This is sort of like one of those highlights magazines activities where you have the two pictures side by side,

and you have to spot the subtle differences between the two pictures.

This looks so similar to the first new beginning,

the new beginning that we saw in the first chapters of Genesis with Adam and Eve.

Verses 1 through 7, it gives us an idea here of what's the same and what's different.

One similarity, we see, is that God's blessing and God's command are the same, aren't they?

Here, just as at the beginning with Adam, God blesses Noah,

and here, just as at the beginning, God gives him this same exact command, doesn't he?

Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth.

In fact, he says it twice.

He says it there in verse 1 and again in verse 7.

He sort of bookends this first section by repeating this command.

Go, be fruitful, multiply, and fill the earth.

And so we see here that the mission is still the same, isn't it?

God still plans to fill the earth with his image.

That's one similarity.

We see another similarity here in verses 2 through 4.

Just as with Adam in the garden, so now Noah and his family are to rule over the animals.

Humans are not part of the animal kingdom.

They are not equal with the animals.

They're not just the most developed or evolved form of the animals.

They are distinct from them, and God says they are to rule over them.

That's a similarity here on this side of the flood, but with one key difference.

You notice this?

On this side of the fall, on this side of the flood, now, verse 2,

the fear of you and the dread of you shall be upon every beast of the earth

and upon every bird of the heavens, upon everything that creeps on the ground

and all fish of the sea.

In other words, now the animals are afraid of the humans.

I grew up watching some of the old Disney princess movies.

I have three sisters.

I didn't have a say in it.

This was just forced upon me from the outside.

But if you've seen any of the old movies, you know when they walk outside

and they start singing, what happens?

The birds come and land on their shoulder, and the squirrels come and nuzzle up next to them,

and the bunnies and the deer, they're all happy, and they all get along.

Those must have taken place before the flood.

Because now, on the other side of the flood, the animals are afraid.

And for good reason, right?

Because we see in verse 3, verse 3 tells us that now in this new beginning, guess what?

Humans get to eat the animals.

And all God's people said, amen, right?

The Lord says in verse 3,

Every moving thing that lives shall be food for you.

As I gave you the green plants, now I give you everything.

So if you want to eat the plants, if you want to have a salad, go ahead, enjoy it.

It's good.

But praise God, now on this side of the flood, the menu has expanded.

And now we get steak, brisket, pulled pork, chicken legs, right?

But even so, even though God says, now, Noah, you can go kill and eat,

God makes certain that we understand here, even so, even on this side of the flood,

life is precious.

Life is precious.

This is the third similarity here, in fact.

We see it in verses 4 through 6, and it's this.

It's that all life is valuable, especially the life of mankind.

All life is valuable.

God regulates the killing of animals here, but especially, especially the life of mankind.

God gives the animals to Noah for food, but with this one regulation,

He says, don't eat the animals with the lifeblood still in them.

You can eat the animals, Noah, but you're not an animal.

Don't eat the animals with the blood still in them.

Their blood, because it represents their life, is precious.

And we can look ahead and see this reaffirmed throughout the Old Testament

and the dietary laws for Israel.

Their blood, their life is valuable.

And think about this, church.

If that's true, if the blood and the life of an animal is valuable in the sight of God,

how much more valuable is the life and the blood of humans?

If God's going to give instruction for the life and the shedding of an animal blood,

of course He gives direction here concerning the shedding of human blood.

Look there to verse 5.

God says, for your lifeblood, the lifeblood of humans,

I will require a reckoning.

From every beast I will require it, and from man,

from his fellow man I will require a reckoning for the life of man.

Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed.

Why?

For God made man in His own image.

Human life is especially valuable in the sight of God.

So much so, in fact, that God says,

if you take a life, you pay for it with your own life.

This is God instituting here a version of the death penalty.

He says human life is precious and valuable in the eyes of God.

It is worth protecting.

It is worthy of dignity.

Why?

Because again, verse tells us the reason why is that

even here after the fall, even here after the flood,

every single person is made in the image of God.

All people.

Humans with dark skin, humans with light skin,

humans with money, humans without money,

humans who vote how you vote,

humans who don't vote how you vote,

illegal immigrants and natural-born citizens,

Christians and atheists and Muslims,

and Buddhists, all people,

share this God-given fundamental dignity.

We are all made in the image of God.

Now, we have to be careful not to absorb

the world's way of thinking and valuing people.

Those who have certain disabilities

are of no less value in the eyes of the Lord

than the most capable, important person

in the eyes of the world.

Those who can't contribute much to society anymore

due to age or health or limitations

are just as worthy of life and protection

and dignity as the strongest

and most productive member of society.

Those who have not yet made it outside of the womb

are just as worthy of dignity and honor

and respect and protection

as those who have made it outside of the womb.

How shameful is it that in our country,

turtle eggs have greater protections in place

than unborn life in the womb?

How shameful is it that such a thing as segregation

existed no more than 70 years ago in this country?

Christians of all people

uphold the sanctity and the dignity

of all human life.

Why?

The reason is because all human people,

all individuals, every single person

is made in the image of God.

So, we see here first,

many similarities,

a few key differences here

in the post-flood world.

But if I'm Noah,

I have another big question on my mind.

Do you know what it is?

What about God's wrath?

That's my second question here

on this side of the flood.

What about God's wrath?

God just saw the sinfulness of the world

and He flooded it.

If I'm Noah,

I'm wondering,

how can I be certain

that that's not going to happen again?

How close do I need to set up camp?

How close do I need to live next to the ark?

God speaks here in verses 8-17

to put these fears at ease.

He's already promised

at the end of chapter 8.

But now He seals the deal

by making Noah a new promise.

He makes Noah a covenant.

You remember that term, covenant.

God established a covenant

with Adam in the garden.

And you remember what we discussed.

Covenant defines the relationship.

You remember this.

Ligon Duncan defines covenant

as a special relationship

established and bestowed by God

that has blessings and obligations

and is of life and death significance.

So here God says, verse 9,

I establish my covenant.

It's clear this covenant is God initiated.

This is coming from the top down.

Nobody's twisting God's arm

to establish this covenant.

He is initiating this promise.

And the promise, He says,

who's it with?

He says, it's with you, Noah,

and your offspring with you

and with every living creature

that is with you.

All the birds and the livestock,

every beast of the earth with you.

As many as come out of the ark,

it is for every beast of the earth.

In other words,

this is a common grace covenant,

not a special grace covenant.

covenant.

This promise is made with all people,

not just with God's people.

And it's not just all people.

It is made with all creatures.

All creatures,

all animals are included in this covenant

over and over and over again.

We see it repeated in this passage.

My covenant here is with all flesh.

My covenant is with every living creature.

So again, atheists and Muslims,

Jews and Gentiles,

believers and non-believers,

dogs, cats, lions, tigers, bears,

all of them are on the receiving end

of the blessings of this covenant.

This is a worldwide,

all-encompassing,

unconditional, forever promise.

And what's the promise?

Verse 11.

Never again shall all flesh be cut off

by the waters of the flood.

Never again shall there be a flood

to destroy all the earth.

Never again.

In other words, Noah,

you don't have to live

with one foot in the ark

and one foot on dry land.

You don't have to live in worry

that I will act in wrath against sin

to destroy the world with a flood ever again

while the earth remains,

he said in chapter 8.

Seed time and harvest,

cold and heat,

summer and winter,

day and night shall not cease.

This is a covenant of preservation.

Herman Bavink,

he calls it a covenant of long-suffering.

God says, in essence,

he says,

I am going to preserve all things,

maintain regularity

in this sinful world

in order to bring it

to my appointed end.

I will be patient

and long-suffering.

Now I will preserve this world

for the coming of the Messiah.

And as a sign of this promise,

God says in verse 13,

he says,

I will set my bow in the cloud

and it shall be a sign of the covenant

between me and the earth.

When I bring clouds over the earth

and the bow is seen in the clouds,

I will remember my covenant

that is between me and you

and every living creature

of all flesh.

You know, the bow

in the ancient Near East,

in this context,

the bow,

that's a pretty common weapon of war.

It's a symbol of death

and destruction

and violence.

But now,

God takes this image

of fear

and violence

and war

and he transforms it

into something beautiful.

God,

God in essence,

is hanging up

his war bow.

So it's no longer

a symbol of wrath.

Now it's a symbol

of peace.

And you notice

where the bow is pointing.

It's not pointing down

towards us

to fire down at the earth.

It's pointing up

towards heaven.

As if God is saying,

should I ever

break my promise to you,

may I be on the receiving end

of this wrath.

May I be destroyed

if I don't keep my promise

to you.

Well, that is astounding grace,

isn't it, church?

It's unfortunate

that many in our culture

have hijacked this sign

and reinterpreted it

as a badge of approval

of all sorts of sexual sin.

You know,

we need to recover

its meaning

and teach our children

its meaning

and make sure

we understand

what this symbol is

up in the sky

that God's given us

to see.

When we look up

at the sky

after a rain

and we see a rainbow,

we ought to be reminded

of the long suffering

of our God.

We ought to be reminded

of his patience

patience

with sinners

like us.

All of the ordinary things

that we take for granted,

every changing

of the season

is a reminder

of his faithfulness.

Every rising

of the sun

and of the moon

is a reminder

of his faithfulness.

Every rainbow

after a storm

is a reminder

that our God

is faithful

and he's able

to preserve

his people

through every trial.

I love this quote

from Marcus Dodds.

He says,

the rainbow

is a sign

that God

has no pleasure

in destruction,

that he does not

give way to moods,

that he does not

always chide,

that if weeping

may endure for a night,

joy is sure to follow.

If anyone

is under a cloud

leading a joyless,

heartless life,

if anyone

has much apparent

reason to suppose

that God

has given him up

to the catastrophe

and lets things run

as they may,

there is some

satisfaction

in reading

this natural emblem

and recognizing it,

recognizing that

without the cloud,

nay,

without the cloud

breaking into

heavy sweeping rains,

there cannot be

the bow

and that no cloud

of God's sending

is permanent

but will one day

give place

to unclouded joy.

Church,

in order to

reach that

unclouded joy,

we have a third

question that

we need answered,

don't we?

Question number three,

what about

our sin?

What about

our sin?

Praise God

he's patient

with sinners.

Amen?

Praise God

he is long

suffering,

that he

delays

his wrath

but what about

the problem

of our sin?

Has the flood

washed it away?

the rest of the passage

here,

verses 18 through 29,

show us that

the tragic answer

is no.

Here,

even in this

new beginning,

this fresh start,

sin

and all of

its destructive

effects

still reigns

over all people.

Look there

with me

to verse 20.

We see here

that now

after the flood,

Noah

began to be

a man

of the soil

and that's

what I'm going

to call

farmers

from now on

by the way.

They're not

farmers anymore,

they are men

and women

of the soil.

He says

he planted

himself a vineyard.

Things are going

great.

He is

subduing

the earth.

He's exercising

dominion.

He's laboring.

This is obedience

to God's command.

This is good.

It says

he drank

some of the wine.

This is also

good.

He's enjoying

the fruit of his

labor.

This is

good.

But then

it says

he became

drunk

and that's

not

good.

Even more

so

he lay

uncovered

naked

in his

tent.

Now that's

really not

good.

The scriptures

are very

clear.

Wine is a

good gift.

It gladdens

the heart

of man

but the

Bible is

also

explicitly

clear that

drunkenness

is not

good.

Drunkenness

is sinful

and Noah

here

he's

demonstrating

a sinful

lack of

self-control.

As we see

this whole

event happening

and we read

this it

all just

make us

want to

scream

what are

you

thinking?

This is

no different.

You are

just like

Adam.

Just think

about this

for a minute.

Noah here

he has been

given the

chance of

a lifetime

hasn't

he?

He has

just been

given grace

upon grace

upon grace

upon grace

he alone

him and his

family

out of all

the earth

have been

spared

from the

judgment

that they

deserve

for their

sin.

He's been

given this

opportunity

for a

fresh start

in a new

world

and almost

immediately

he drinks

himself drunk

and goes

laid naked

in his tent

for all to

see.

It is an

embarrassment.

Well this

new start

it ends

the same

old way

with another

fall into

sin.

Clearly

we see a

flood was

not enough

to resolve

his biggest

issue.

He still

had this

internal

problem

this internal

issue called

sin that's

ruling over

him.

You know

sometimes we

tend to think

that maybe

a new start

is all we

need.

We have

problems at

our old

job and so

we go run

to a new

job.

We have

problems with

one marriage

and so we

run to the

next relationship.

We have

problems in

one church

and so we

run ourselves

to a new

church.

But the

problem is

guess what?

We take

our sin

with us.

We may

think that

all we need

is just to

turn over

a new leaf

and try

something

different

have a new

start but

unless this

problem of

sin is dealt

with nothing

ultimately

changes does

it?

And notice

here too by

the way when

did Noah

fall?

When did

Noah fall

into temptation

and sin?

When did

he fall from

the state of

grace?

He didn't let

his guard

down during

the storm

did he?

He let

his guard

down once

the storm

had passed.

Up to this

point Noah

has been a

model of

faithfulness.

It wasn't

the trial

that wore

him down

it was

peace.

It wasn't

the storm

that wore

him down

it was

the time

of peace

it wasn't

until after

the storm

had passed

that Noah

falls into

sin.

Well let

this be a

lesson for

us church.

We need

our guard

up not only

in times

of trial

but also

especially

so in

times of

rest.

Some of y'all

I know

are walking

through times

of trial

right now

and you

are praying

more than

you ever

have.

You are

clinging

to Christ.

You are

trusting God

to hold

you up.

You're

reaching out

to him

asking for

his help

and all

of that

is so

so good

but remember

if the

storm

passes

when the

storm

passes

keep

clinging

to Christ.

keep

praying

keep

trusting

God

to hold

you

up

keep

calling

out

to him

as helpless

in need

of his

grace.

You need

him just

as much

in clear

skies

as you

do in

the clouds.

Noah

just like

Adam

falls

into sin

and just

like Adam

before him

he experiences

the shame

and the

disgrace

of his

nakedness

but it's

not just

him.

Look what

happens

next.

Verse 22

says Ham

the father

of Canaan

now that's

the second

time he's

pointed that

out.

Did you

notice that?

Ham the

father of

Canaan

he tells

us twice

up in

verse 18

and again

here in

verse 22.

Why does

he do

that?

Well it

might not

mean much

to us

but think

again about

the context

here.

Think about

the Israelites

hearing this

text.

Remember

where they

are as

they receive

this book.

They are

preparing to

enter the

promised land.

And do you

remember who's

there?

It's the

Canaanites.

The Canaanites

from this point

forward in the

book of Genesis

and onward are

sort of the

arch nemesis of

Israel.

They're the bad

guys.

So this passage

helps explain

who they are

and where they

came from

and how they

got to be so

evil and so

wicked.

So verse 20

Ham the

father of

Canaan

sees the

nakedness of

his father

and instead

of turning

his eyes

and covering

his father's

shame and

respecting his

father he

goes and

makes a scene

of it.

He goes and

tells his

brothers.

We don't

know exactly

what this

looked like

but clearly

Ham acted

in irreverence

and disrespect.

Does that

sound familiar

to you at

all?

It should.

just as

the serpent

acted in

a way that

revealed the

shameful nakedness

of Adam

and Eve

so now

Ham makes

a mockery

of his

father's

nakedness.

And just

as God

had done

for Adam

and Eve

in covering

up their

shame with

animal skin

so now

we see

Shem and

Japheth

cover up

their father's

shameful

nakedness

with their

own covering.

Do you see

a pattern here?

Do you see

the cycle?

We are

seeing

again

here

even on

this side

of the

flood

the unfolding

drama

of the

seed

of the

woman

and the

seed

of the

serpent.

You remember

from Genesis

Genesis 3:15

chapter 3

verse 15

God promises

I will put

enmity

between you

the serpent

and the

woman

between

your

offspring

and her

offspring

he will

bruise your

head

you shall

bruise

his

heel.

This account

here in

Genesis 9

with all

of his

repetition

and all

of his

mirror like

images

to the

first creation

with Adam

and Eve

it shows us

some very

bad news.

The flood

didn't

wash away

sin

and

the flood

didn't

drown

the serpent.

Noah

is a sinner

just like

Adam

and now

Ham

is proving

himself

to be

the seed

of the

serpent.

So verse

24 says

Noah wakes

up and

realizes what

had happened

and just as

God pronounced

judgment

and promise

and blessing

after the fall

in chapter 3

so now

Noah pronounces

judgment

and blessing

here after

his fall

in Genesis 9

the seed of

the serpent

is cursed

in verse 25.

Cursed be

Canaan.

He will be

a servant

of servants

the lowest

of the low

does that

sound familiar?

On your

belly you will

go and

dust you will

eat all the

days of your

life.

And on the

other hand

Shem

the ancestor

of Israel

and Japheth

his brother

will be

blessed.

All of this

just sounds

like we're back

in Genesis

Genesis 3 · chapter mention

chapter 3

again doesn't

it?

Over

and over

and over

again

everything

is the

same

and yet

everything

is different.

After all

of this

a global

flood

a new

start

it seems

like we're

back to

square one

doesn't it?

The conflict

of the seeds

is continuing

the fight

is still

going on

the problem

of sin

still rages

on

death

still reigns

no one

is righteous

no not

one

the most

faithful

obedient

man on

the earth

is drunk

and naked

in his tent.

it's clear

to me

what we

need

is not

simply

a new

start

what we

need

is a

new

covenant

a better

covenant

a covenant

that won't

just preserve

the world

a covenant

that will

purify

the world

a covenant

that won't

just

hit reset

a covenant

that will

redeem

we need

a covenant

that God

won't just

be patient

with our

sin

we need

a covenant

where God

will pay

for our

sin

in full

the prophets

spoke about

this covenant

we read

one passage

already

Jeremiah 31

says

this is the

covenant

that I will

make with the

house of Israel

after those

days

declares the

Lord

I will put

my law

within them

and I will

write it on

their hearts

I will be

their God

and they

shall be

my people

no longer

shall each

one teach

his neighbor

and each

his brother

saying know

the Lord

for they

shall all

know me

from the

least of

them to

the greatest

declares

the Lord

I will

forgive

their

iniquity

and I

will

remember

their

sin

no

more

again

in Ezekiel

36

he says

I will

take you

from the

nations

I will

gather

you

from all

the

countries

and bring

you

into

your

own

land

I

will

sprinkle

clean

water

on

you

and you

shall

be

clean

from all

your

uncleanness

from all

your idols

I will

cleanse

you

I will

give you

a new

heart

and a

new

spirit

I will

put

within

you

and I

will

remove

your

heart

of stone

from

your

flesh

and I

will

give

you

a

heart

of

flesh

I

will

put

my

spirit

within

you

and I

will

cause

you

to

walk

in

my

statutes

and be

careful

to

obey

all

my

rules

this is

the new

covenant

as we

look ahead

as Christ

Jesus

comes onto

the scene

and he

prepares to

go to

the cross

he looks

around

and he

says to

his

friends

this

cup

is the

new

covenant

in my

blood

for the

forgiveness

of sins

we're

just

saying

what

can

wash

away

my

sins

not

a

flood

nothing

but

the

blood

of

Jesus

what

can

crush

the

head

of

the

serpent

not

a

flood

nothing

but

the

life

and

the

death

and

the

resurrection

of

Jesus

what

can

bring

a

sinful

people

like

us

into

a

true

new

creation

where

we

won't

blow

it

the

second

we

hit

dry

land

nothing

but

the

blood

of

Jesus

here

in this

covenant

with

Noah

and

all

creation

God

here

sets

the

stage

to

preserve

the

earth

in

order

to

bring

about

full

and

final

redemption

by

sending

his

own

son

to

live

and

to

die

and

to

rise

in

the

place

of

sinners

so

that

any

who

come

to

him

in

faith

can

enter

in

to

this

new

covenant

and be

truly

cleansed

from

the

inside

out

if

we

want

a sign

of

God's

love

for

sinners

friend

we can

look

to

the

rainbow

but

an

even

greater

sign

is

found

at

the

cross

of

Christ

if

we

want

a

sign

of

God's

long

suffering

of

his

steadfast

love

of

his

patience

of

his

grace

of

his

kindness

we

can

look

up

to

the

rainbow

but

a

much

better

sign

is

seen

at the

cross

and

the

empty

tomb

we

can

look

up

at

the

rainbow

and

see

God's

wrath

averted

for a

time

we

can

look

to

the

cross

and

see

God's

wrath

averted

from

you

forever

forever

church

to

be

to

be

a

new

creation

the

new

beginning

has

begun

in

you

and

we

look

forward

with

eager

expectation

to

a

true

new

beginning

we

look

forward

to

life

forever

with

God

and

the

new

heavens

and

the

new

earth

and

the

return

of

Christ

you

want

to

know

what's

going

to

be

different

there

here's

a

difference

for

you

there

will

be

no

possibility

of

sin

ruining

it

all

no

more

sin

no

more

shame

no

more

serpent

no

more

failure

no

more

guilt

no

more

death

no

more

conflict

no

more

wrath

no

more

tears

no

more

clouds

no

more

storms

no

more

trials

anymore

just

God

in

all

his

glory

forever

this

is

what

we

have

to

look

forward

to

for

all

those

who

are

in

Christ

because

of

the

new

covenant

in

his

blood

let's

pray

father

we

thank

you

God

for

this

this

new

and

better

covenant

that

is

so

undeserved

Lord

but

you

pour

out

graciously

on

us

all

by

by

your

grace

and

kindness

towards

us

in

Christ

we

thank

you

for

your

patience

with

sinners

like

us

and

we

look

forward

to

the

day

Lord

when

we

can

enjoy

you

in

full

freedom

free

from

sin

free

from

shame

free

from

death

free

from

the

enemy

Lord

we

thank

you

for

the

victory

that

Christ

has

over

all

of

this

by

his

victory

!

at

the

cross

and

the

empty

tomb

we

love

you

Lord

we

pray

this

in

Jesus